To the annoyance of some shareholders, Jin Tong Ling Technology Group Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300091) shares are down a considerable 26% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 50% in that time.

Since its price has dipped substantially, Jin Tong Ling Technology Group may be sending bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.4x, since almost half of all companies in the Machinery industry in China have P/S ratios greater than 2.6x and even P/S higher than 5x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

What Does Jin Tong Ling Technology Group's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

It looks like revenue growth has deserted Jin Tong Ling Technology Group recently, which is not something to boast about. It might be that many expect the uninspiring revenue performance to worsen, which has repressed the P/S. If not, then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Is There Any Revenue Growth Forecasted For Jin Tong Ling Technology Group?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Jin Tong Ling Technology Group would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue, the company posted a result that saw barely any deviation from a year ago. The lack of growth did nothing to help the company's aggregate three-year performance, which is an unsavory 1.6% drop in revenue. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 24% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

With this in mind, we understand why Jin Tong Ling Technology Group's P/S is lower than most of its industry peers. However, we think shrinking revenues are unlikely to lead to a stable P/S over the longer term, which could set up shareholders for future disappointment. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.

What Does Jin Tong Ling Technology Group's P/S Mean For Investors?

Jin Tong Ling Technology Group's recently weak share price has pulled its P/S back below other Machinery companies. Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Our examination of Jin Tong Ling Technology Group confirms that the company's shrinking revenue over the past medium-term is a key factor in its low price-to-sales ratio, given the industry is projected to grow. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises either. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 2 warning signs for Jin Tong Ling Technology Group that we have uncovered.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.